Harvesting energy from fluid flow (e.g., wind or water) is an ideal way to sustainably produce energy without producing pollution. The most common approach is a large horizontal axis turbine mounted on a large mast with blades projecting outwardly perpendicular to the horizontal axis. A second approach is an orthogonal balanced turbine, in which blades are positioned around the axis of rotation in a helical shape or oriented parallel to the axis of rotation. The axis of rotation of an orthogonal turbine may be oriented horizontally or vertically. Examples of orthogonal turbines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,741,729, 8,007,235, and 8,047,785.
The apparatus disclosed herein provides an improved approach for implementing an orthogonal turbine.